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Wednesday, January 14, 2026

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3 hours ago
Corruption
Crime

Transgender Migrant Activist Sentenced to Prison, Must Repay $956K in Fraud Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The founder of a nonprofit that provided LGBTQ+ services in Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 33 months in prison for diverting federal COVID-19 relief funds.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ruby Corado, also known as Vladimir Orlando Artiga Corado, a transgender activist and founder of Casa Ruby, along with U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Sentenced on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., following a guilty plea on July 17, 2024.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Instead of using the funds as promised, Corado stole over $950,000, transferred at least $150,000 to bank accounts in El Salvador, and hid it from the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

🎯IMPACT: Corado was ordered to pay $956,215 in restitution to the Small Business Administration, with the nonprofit shutting down in 2022 amid allegations of financial mismanagement.

IN FULL

The founder of Casa Ruby, a now-defunct LGBTQ+ nonprofit in Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $956,215 in restitution for the fraudulent use of federal COVID-19 relief funds. Ruby Corado, also known as Vladimir Orlando Artiga Corado, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on July 17, 2024.

U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden noted during the sentencing that Corado “found an opportunity to defraud U.S. Americans” instead of assisting them. Corado was also sentenced to two years of supervised release following imprisonment, unless deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Corado received over $1.3 million from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program for Casa Ruby. However, as U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated, “Instead of using the funds as promised, Corado stole over $950,000, transferred at least $150,000 to bank accounts in El Salvador, and hid it from the IRS.”

During the hearing, Corado claimed he was remorseful, saying, “I never intended to become a fugitive. I want to tell you how sorry I am.” Casa Ruby, which opened in 2012 and provided shelter and services to LGBTQ-identifying minors, expanded significantly over the years but closed in 2022 following allegations of fraud and financial mismanagement.

In 2022, Corado sold his Maryland home and fled to El Salvador after financial irregularities surfaced. He was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on March 5, 2024, at a hotel in Laurel, Maryland, after returning to the U.S. unexpectedly. The stolen funds are to be repaid to the Small Business Administration (SBA).

The National Pulse reported last week that Corado, while admitting to the fraud, had asked to be spared prison time and deportation due to being transgender.

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By Popular Demand.
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28 minutes ago
Immigration
NatSec

U.S. Blocks Over 10K Narco-Terrorists, Terror Watchlist Expands by 85K.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. intelligence officials blocked over 10,000 people tied to narco-terrorism from entering the country in 2025 and added 85,000 more to the terror watchlist.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

📍WHEN & WHERE: In 2025, across U.S. borders, leveraging intelligence resources to prevent entry and add individuals to watchlists.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump gave the order to secure the homeland, and ODNI’s National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) delivered.” – Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard

🎯IMPACT: Thousands of narco-terrorists and gang members were denied entry, and tools for combating cartel-related terrorism were successfully implemented.

IN FULL

The Trump administration was successful in preventing more than 10,000 foreign nationals with ties to narco-terrorism from gaining entry to the United States last year, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Additionally, over 85,000 individuals with similar drug trafficking and terrorist connections were added to the government’s terror watchlist.

Intelligence collected by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and shared with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and state and local law enforcement facilitated operations that prevented these individuals from entering the United States. “President Trump gave the order to secure the homeland, and ODNI’s National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) delivered,” said Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.

Gabbard highlighted that intelligence sharing led to “thousands of successful actions against cartels and gangs,” emphasizing the role of the NCTC in apprehending and removing criminals from U.S. soil. Notably, President Donald J. Trump’s designation of cartels as terrorist organizations allowed counterterrorism officials to utilize the full scope of intelligence tools, resulting in visa revocations, arrests, deportations, and investigations.

It has also been revealed that NCTC added over 85,000 new identities to the terrorist database, a resource shared with law enforcement nationwide. “Had we had a capability like this pre-9/11, the hijackers wouldn’t have been able to come into our country in the first place,” the Trump administration contends.

During the first year of President Trump’s second term, fewer than five “traditional terrorists” attempted to enter the U.S., primarily through commercial airlines, and were denied access. The administration has also confirmed ongoing investigations into Antifa’s foreign ties, noting its inclusion as a terrorist organization.

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1 hour ago
Immigration
News

U.S. Experiences Net Negative Immigration for First Time in Decades Under Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: For the first time in at least half a century, more immigrants left the United States than entered in 2025, according to a Brookings Institution report.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Economists at the Brookings Institution, U.S. immigration enforcement agencies, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The report focuses on migration patterns in 2025, with projections into 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We estimate that net migration was between –10,000 and –295,000 in 2025, the first time in at least half a century it has been negative.” – Brookings Institution

🎯IMPACT: The report anticipates a continued decline in net immigration in 2026.

IN FULL

New data suggests the United States experienced net out-migration in 2025, with more migrants leaving the country than entering it for the first time in at least half a century. According to a report released by the neoliberal Brookings Institution, the United States saw a significant decrease in immigrant entries in 2025, relative to 2024, with increased immigration enforcement during the first year of President Donald J. Trump’s second term in office resulting in both rising deportations and voluntary departures of foreign nationals in the country unlawfully.

“We estimate that net migration was between –10,000 and –295,000 in 2025, the first time in at least half a century it has been negative,” the report stated. It further projected, “In our assessment, net migration is likely to be very low or negative in 2026 as well.”

The Brookings Institution, which has consistently promoted open-border policies and a reliance on cheap foreign labor, contends that “reduced migration will dampen growth in the labor force, consumer spending, and gross domestic product (GDP).” However, late last year, President Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pointed to data that shows increased deportations have resulted in falling rent costs. Data from November 2025 shows that apartment rents fell 1.1 percent compared to the previous year, and 5.2 percent compared to November 2022.

Additionally, a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) investigation found that mass immigration has a specific detrimental impact on lower-income Americans who earn too much to qualify for public housing assistance. “One key cause of elevated worst-case needs is immigration. Between 2021 and 2024, the foreign-born population of the United States increased by more than six million—the largest such increase over such a short period in American history,” the HUD investigation stated, adding: “This immigration-driven increase in households has contributed to a significant increase in housing demand, thus driving up housing prices. In fact, in some markets, immigration has accounted for nearly all of the increase in housing demand in recent years.”

The Brookings report attributed much of the decline in immigration to a slowdown in new arrivals through humanitarian parole, refugee programs, and illegal entries across the Southwest border. “Though deportations and other exits receive more media attention, a slowdown in new arrivals… has a bigger effect on reducing migration flows in 2025,” Brookings researchers stated.

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2 hours ago
Health

RFK Jr. Jokes That Trump Has the ‘Most Unhinged Eating Habits.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. commented on President Donald J. Trump’s eating habits during a podcast interview, humorously remarking, “I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is…”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump, and Katie Miller, host of the podcast and wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 13, 2026, during a podcast hosted by Katie Miller.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The President… I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is… He’s just pumping himself full of poison all day long.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🎯IMPACT: Kennedy’s remarks sparked discussion about Trump’s diet and health while noting his high energy levels and unique constitution.

IN FULL

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaking with podcast host Katie Miller late Tuesday, was quick to name President Donald J. Trump as the administration official with the “most unhinged eating habits.” Without hesitation, Kennedy responded that it was the President himself, referencing Trump’s well-documented preference for fast food. Kennedy remarked, “The President… I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is… He’s just pumping himself full of poison all day long.”


Speaking with Miller—the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller—Kennedy elaborated, explaining that Trump’s diet often includes McDonald’s and Diet Coke, but noted that Trump argues he eats “really good food” when at Mar-a-Lago or the White House. The HHS Secretary, a close ally of the President, added that Trump prefers fast food when traveling because he trusts its consistency and doesn’t want to risk getting sick.

“If you travel with him, you get this idea that he’s just pumping himself full of poison all day long and you don’t know how he’s walking around, much less being the most energetic person any of us have ever met,” Kennedy said. Despite his comments on the President’s eating habits, Kennedy praised Trump’s health and energy levels.

Kennedy also revealed that Dr. Mehmet Oz, now leading the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), had reviewed Trump’s medical records. According to Kennedy, Oz stated that Trump has “the highest testosterone levels that he’s ever seen for an individual over 70 years old.” Trump, now 79, reportedly takes pride in this assessment, with Kennedy adding, “I know the President will be happy that I repeat that.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
TECH
World

Starlink Gives Iranians Free Internet to Beat Regime Blackout.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Internet service has dropped its fees in Iran, allowing demonstrators to bypass regime-imposed communication blackouts.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, Iranian activists, and organizations like Net Freedom Pioneers and Holistic Resilience.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The fee drop began Tuesday, following the Islamic Republic’s move to shut down the Internet on January 8.

💬KEY QUOTE: “That showed a few hundred bodies on the ground, that came out because of Starlink,” said Mehdi Yahyanejad of Net Freedom Pioneers, referring to video evidence smuggled out of Iran.

🎯IMPACT: Starlink’s availability has increased the flow of information out of Iran, despite government efforts to block its use.

IN FULL

Internet and communications access for Iranian demonstrators has been partially restored through the use of Elon Musk‘s SpaceX and its Starlink satellite Internet system. Musk dropped fees for the satellite Internet service for those in Iran after the Islamic Republic and its Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, cut Internet access to prevent the world from witnessing its violent crackdown on anti-regime protestors in recent days.

Activists—protesting Iran’s failing economy, the collapse of its currency, and the regime’s brutal response—state that Starlink access has been free to anyone in the country with the necessary equipment to access the service since Tuesday of this week. However, there have also been reports of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) troops and other regime agents going door-to-door in some areas in an effort to seize Starlink equipment.

Mehdi Yahyanejad, of the nonprofit Net Freedom Pioneers, highlighted the importance of the service, citing video evidence of rows of bodies at a forensic medical center near Tehran. “That showed a few hundred bodies on the ground, that came out because of Starlink,” Yahyanejad said. Net Freedom Pioneers has played a pivotal role in smuggling Starlink equipment into Iran.

The death toll from the protests, which began on December 28, has risen to over 2,500 people, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Starlink’s presence in Iran is technically illegal under the country’s telecommunication regulations, and activists face the risk of being accused of espionage, which can carry the death penalty. Many users disguise the equipment as solar panels to avoid detection.

Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of Holistic Resilience, noted that Iranian authorities have employed extreme measures to jam Starlink’s signals and track down users. However, SpaceX has responded with a firmware update to counteract these efforts. “There has always been a cat-and-mouse game,” Ahmadian explained, adding that the government’s jamming attempts have been limited to certain urban areas.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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3 hours ago
William Upton
Election Integrity
SCOTUS

SCOTUS Allows Landmark Challenge to Late Mail-In Ballots to Continue.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for several legal challenges to an Illinois law requiring election officials to count mail-in ballots received well after Election Day to proceed.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts, Congressman Michael Bost (R-IL), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the Illinois State Board of Elections.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, with litigation in the lower court now ongoing.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Nothing about Article III requires this result. Candidates have a concrete and particularized interest in the rules that govern the counting of votes in their elections, regardless whether those rules harm their electoral prospects or increase the cost of their campaigns.” — Chief Justice John Roberts

🎯IMPACT: Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections could prove to be a foundational case in election law, impacting whether states can effectively extend Election Day beyond its constitutionally mandated date.

IN FULL

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for several legal challenges to an Illinois law requiring election officials to count mail-in ballots received well after Election Day to be counted in the final vote tally to proceed, reversing a lower court decision that found the plaintiffs—who are or were candidates for office—lacked standing. Congressman Michael Bost (R-IL), along with Presidential elector nominees Laura Pollastrini and Susan Sweeney, filed a lawsuit against the Illinois State Board of Elections challenging a state law that requires officials “…to count mail-in ballots postmarked or certified no later than election day and received within two weeks of election day.”

Both a U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ordered the lawsuit dismissed on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked standing. However, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts found the Article III standing determination by the lower courts to be unfounded.

“Nothing about Article III requires this result. Candidates have a concrete and particularized interest in the rules that govern the counting of votes in their elections, regardless whether those rules harm their electoral prospects or increase the cost of their campaigns,” Chief Justice Roberts wrote for the majority. He continued, “Their interest extends to the integrity of the election—and the democratic process by which they earn or lose the support of the people they seek to represent.”

“As a candidate for office, Congressman Bost has standing to challenge the rules that govern the counting of votes in his election,” Roberts concluded, ordering: “The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”

Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections could prove to be a foundational case in election law, impacting whether states can effectively extend Election Day beyond its constitutionally mandated date. While the Supreme Court did not offer any definitive ruling or indication on the constitutionality of counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day, litigation over the matter will be allowed to proceed—suggesting the high court anticipates taking up the matter on its merits in the future.

Image by Joe Ravi.

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4 hours ago
News
World

Poll Finds Trump Is the Most Popular Politician in Venezuela.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Polling in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the country’s former Marxist dictator, has found that U.S. President Donald J. Trump is the most popular politician in the country, and that a large majority want the U.S. to “run” the country.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Nicolás Maduro, Venezuelan citizens, U.S. special forces, and Venezuelan political figures.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Maduro was seized on January 3, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela. Polling took place between January 9 and 13, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “All of the President’s foreign policy actions have put America First while making the entire world safer and more stable, and the American people know it.” – White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly.

🎯IMPACT: Venezuelans have expressed optimism for the future and want swift democratic reforms. U.S. public opinion remains divided along party lines.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump received a political boost following the first major public opinion survey conducted inside Venezuela since U.S. forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. U.S. special operations troops seized Maduro on January 3 during an operation in Caracas, ending years of authoritarian rule and triggering political upheaval in the oil-rich nation.

Polling commissioned by The Economist and conducted by Premise between Jan. 9 and 13, 2026, found that President Trump is by far the most popular politician in the country, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Opposition leader María Corina Machado also polls well, albeit less well than Trump and Rubio, while acting President Delcy Rodríguez—Maduro’s former vice president—is viewed favorably by just 13 percent of Venezuelans.

A strong majority said they supported Maduro’s removal from office and approved of U.S. military involvement in the process. More than half of respondents said their opinion of the United States had improved as a result of the operation, and nearly 80 percent said they expect Venezuela’s political and economic conditions to improve within the next year.

Moreover, most Venezuelans support Trump and the U.S. “running” the country, against only 18 percent opposed. However, opinions are divided over who should control Venezuela’s oil industry, with respondents split among U.S. oversight, private companies, or continued Venezuelan state control.

Far-left militias loyal to Maduro known as colectivos do remain an issue in the country, with the Trump administration warning that they are targeting Americans and Venezuelans seen as supporting the U.S. intervention, prompting renewed travel warnings.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said of the operation, “All of the president’s foreign policy actions have put America First while making the entire world safer and more stable.”

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4 hours ago
Corruption
Crime
Politics

Impeachment Articles Filed Against Walz Amid Somali Fraud Scandal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faces four articles of impeachment related to alleged fraud and mismanagement in state programs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Tim Walz and Republican lawmakers, led by State Representative Mike Warner.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Minnesota, January 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The Minnesota House will reconvene next month to potentially proceed with impeachment, requiring a Senate trial for removal.

IN FULL

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) faces four articles of impeachment, marking another significant blow to the failed Democratic vice presidential nominee. This comes after he had recently abandoned his bid for re-election amid mounting allegations related to his responsibility for widespread fraud in the North Star State, much of it perpetrated by the Somali community.

The four articles of impeachment are as follows:

Article I: Violation of Oath of Office through Concealment of Fraud, which accuses Walz of knowingly concealing or permitting the concealment of systemic fraud, despite multiple warnings, audits, and reports indicating that there was abuse.

Article II: Interference with Oversight and Investigations, which accuses Walz of obstructing or interfering with lawful oversight, investigations, or corrective actions related to fraud, for example, by shutting down whistleblowers, failing to act on evidence of issues, and presenting obstacles to investigations and reforms.

Article III: Prioritizing Political Considerations Over Lawful Administration, which accuses Walz of prioritizing political objectives, such as courting popularity among the Somali community, over his duty to perform his administrative functions fairly and effectively.

Article IV: Failure to Steward Public Funds, which accuses Walz of having allowed taxpayers to be defrauded of potentially billions of dollars through his negligence and weakening of various safeguards.

The Minnesota House is scheduled to reconvene next month, at which point impeachment proceedings could formally start. If the House votes to impeach, the state senate would conduct a trial to decide Walz’s guilt and possibly remove him from office.

Notably, hundreds of whistleblowers in the state administration have accused Walz not merely of incompetence, but of overseeing a regime that actively threatened retaliation against state workers attempting to bring fraud scandals to light.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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5 hours ago
William Upton
Economy
News

Saks, Bergdorf, and Neiman Marcus Owner File for Bankruptcy.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Saks Global—the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue (an over 100-year-old retail icon), Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman—has filed for bankruptcy.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Saks Global, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Global CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bankruptcy filing was made late Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a defining moment for Saks Global, and the path ahead presents a meaningful opportunity to strengthen the foundation of our business and position it for the future.” — Geoffroy van Raemdonck

🎯IMPACT: The next year will be critical for Saks Global and luxury retail properties. If it is unable to renegotiate with vendors or find a way to restructure its debt in a manageable way, one of America’s most iconic department stores could meet its end after 100 years.

IN FULL

The parent company of some of the United States’s largest luxury department stores has filed for bankruptcy, putting into limbo the future of retail properties like Saks Fifth Avenue (an over 100-year-old retail icon), Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman. Late Tuesday, Saks Global filed for bankruptcy, citing mounting debt and a decline in certain sectors of retail sales.

Saks’s fall tracks the fates of a number of America’s once-stalwart luxury brand retailers. However, Saks Global stresses that it believes an estimated $1.75 billion in financing—primarily from bondholders—that it has secured will allow it to emerge from bankruptcy relatively unscathed.

“This is a defining moment for Saks Global, and the path ahead presents a meaningful opportunity to strengthen the foundation of our business and position it for the future,” said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, who is returning from Neiman Marcus as Saks Global’s CEO to oversee the bankruptcy and restructuring. Notably, the company has faced mounting competition from direct sales by luxury brands, U.S. e-commerce giants such as Amazon and eBay, as well as Chinese affordable ‘fast fashion’ online retailers like Shein and Temu.

Mounting competition, coupled with years of a sluggish economy and high inflation beginning with the former Biden government, saw radical shifts in consumer behavior. At the time, Saks Global was unable to adjust.

Another serious problem facing Saks Global was its attempt to consolidate Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman into a single, giant luxury store brand. To do this, Saks Global took on around $2 billion in debt, which ultimately proved an insurmountable fiscal burden for the company.

The next year will be critical for Saks Global and luxury retail properties. If it is unable to renegotiate with vendors or find a way to restructure its debt in a manageable way, one of America’s most iconic department stores could meet its end after 100 years.

Image by Kidfly182.

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7 hours ago
News
Politics

Top Trump Ally Orban Faces Electoral Disaster. Here’s Why…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hungary has announced its parliamentary elections will take place on April 12, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán facing a significant political challenge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, opposition leader Péter Magyar, President Tamás Sulyok, and the Hungarian electorate.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The election is set for April 12, with the official campaign period starting on February 21, in Hungary.

💬KEY QUOTE: “One of the cornerstones of democracy is the right to vote freely.” – Tamás Sulyok

🎯IMPACT: The election will determine whether Orbán retains power or if Péter Magyar and the opposition can capitalize on dissatisfaction with the government.

IN FULL

Hungary will hold its next parliamentary election on April 12, President Tamás Sulyok has announced, setting the stage for a closely watched contest that could alter the country’s political trajectory. The vote comes at a difficult moment for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been in power since 2010 and now faces his most serious challenge in years. Independent opinion polls indicate that Orbán’s national populist Fidesz party is trailing the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, a former government insider placed at the head of an alliance of virtually every other party in the country, with the tacit backing of the European Union (EU) and other globalist entities.

Magyar has gained support by focusing on economic stagnation and high living costs—driven in large part by the inflationary impact on Hungary of the war in neighboring Ukraine, where Orbán has long argued for a peace settlement over open-ended support for Ukraine and a damaging Russo-Western sanctions war.

Orbán has pledged to introduce further anti-corruption reforms and to secure the release of billions of euros in EU funds that remain frozen due to alleged concerns over judicial independence and the rule of law in Hungary, which the EU has often used as an excuse to punish the country for resisting initiatives such as Europe-wide migrant quotas.

Orbán described Hungary under his stewardship as an “illiberal democracy,” prioritizing national sovereignty and popular conservative values over liberal globalist values. His Fidesz party has framed the upcoming election as a stark choice between “stability and chaos,” accusing the opposition of serving the European Union’s interests and seeking to undermine Hungarian sovereignty. The ruling party has also warned that the Tisza party would raise taxes and impose austerity measures if elected.

The official campaign period begins on February 21, when parties and candidates will be able to collect voter signatures and display campaign materials.

The election will take place against the backdrop of several conservative policy moves by Orbán’s government that the European Union is trying to block or overturn. For instance, earlier this year, Hungary adopted a constitutional amendment allowing authorities to protect children from LGBT ideology by effectively banning events like Pride parades, which children are likely to be exposed to.

Orbán has also drawn international attention for his close relationship with President Donald J. Trump, being one of the few world leaders to publicly back the America First leader ahead of the 2024 election. In late 2025, Trump suggested that Hungary could be exempted from U.S. sanctions on Russian energy, citing the landlocked country’s heavy dependence on Russian oil and gas for historical and geographical reasons.

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20 hours ago
Economy
News

American Workers’ Wages Climb as Inflation Stabilizes.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Fresh economic data suggests inflation is under control, with workers seeing real wage gains under President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Bloomberg’s Chris Anstey.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Data released today, covering the U.S. economy under President Trump’s administration.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Yet another report confirms that President Trump has defeated the inflation crisis inherited from the Biden Administration, while so-called ‘experts’ continue to be proven wrong month after month.” — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

🎯IMPACT: Rising wages, declining vehicle prices, and economic growth signal recovery for American workers and industries.

IN FULL

Fresh economic data released this week indicate that inflation is continuing to ease and American workers are experiencing real wage growth, according to new government figures and market analysts. Core inflation came in below economists’ expectations, signaling slower price increases. Bloomberg described the report as “a convincing sign that inflation is on a downward path.”

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed inflation running at an annualized rate of 2.7 percent, underscoring a continued cooling trend. Since President Donald J. Trump regained office in January 2025, administration officials say headline inflation has averaged about 2.4 percent, down from roughly three percent under Joe Biden. Core inflation has also declined to around 2.4 percent, compared with a prior pace of 3.3 percent.

“Yet another report confirms that President Trump has defeated the inflation crisis inherited from the Biden Administration, while so-called ‘experts’ continue to be proven wrong month after month. President Trump’s powerful tariffs, massive tax cuts for working families, and sweeping deregulatory agenda have positioned our economy for a boom in 2026,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Keavitt said.

At the same time, wages have been rising faster than prices. Real private sector weekly earnings are projected to grow by about four percent during President Trump’s first full year in office, translating into an estimated $1,100 increase in real income for private-sector workers. Gains have been especially notable among blue-collar workers in industries such as mining, logging, construction, and manufacturing, where annual earnings have risen substantially.

Vehicle prices, which surged earlier in the decade, have continued to fall. Automakers reported their strongest sales year since 2019, suggesting consumers are benefiting from improved affordability.

Recent research has also challenged assumptions that tariffs necessarily drive inflation higher. A Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco study examining economic data from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France over a 150-year period found that higher tariffs were often associated with lower inflation rates, contradicting warnings from some critics of the administration’s trade policies.

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